Dope

"Dope" by Sax Rohmer is a novel likely written in the early 20th century. The story introduces Monte Irvin, an alderman in London, whose life begins to spiral into chaos as he grapples with marital troubles and suspicions surrounding his wife, Rita. The plot thickens with the involvement of an enigmatic figure named Kazmah, a dream-reader, and the world of drugs and deceit that unfurls as Irvin seeks the truth. At the start of the book, the focus is on Monte Irvin's mounting anxiety as he waits for his wife, who is apparently entangled in a secretive affair. Irvin plants himself in his library, pacing anxiously and contemplating the disarray of his life. The narrative quickly introduces key characters, particularly the charming but troubled Margaret Halley and the aristocratic Sir Lucien Pyne, as well as the mysterious Kazmah. As Irvin fears the revelation of his worst suspicions regarding his wife’s loyalty, he receives troubling news that complicates the situation further, setting the stage for a tangled web of intrigue, betrayal, and potential danger that appears centered around the mystique of Kazmah and the illicit drug trade.